Frozen Stiff
by randomfics
Summary: Angel Island, after a particularly harsh winter, was headed north. Something was very, very wrong. Sonic is determined to find out what exactly is going on, but he may not like the answer... -complete-
1. Chapter 1

Angel Island was moving slowly.

That in and of itself wasn't unusual. The floating isle usually did move all across the world, but, lately, Knuckles seemed to have placed it into a holding pattern nearby Mystic Ruins, over the sea.

It made it easier for both Tails and Sonic to get up there, with the workshop/house located along the edge of Mystic Ruins, and it meant that they were always prepared for whatever season may be striking the island. (Sonic refused to take any blame for the two of them showing up with beach balls in the middle of an Angel Island winter)

The small, two-tailed fox frowned slightly as he pressed his nose against the windowpane. The cool surface didn't disconcert him as he watched the island slowly drift… North?

The fox leaned harder against the window now, breath fogging up the glass, blue eyes worried.

This year's winter had been _harsh_. Not just a little cold wind and some snow, but several blizzards that broke new records, piling snow deep enough that the fox knew there was at least one avalanche up on the mountains.

Not that the stubborn echidna living on the island would actually admit to it: no, he had to find out when he and a certain speedy blue hedgehog had visited to check up on their stubborn friend they found half the mountain snow at the base of the shrine.

The echidna still refused to say what had happened- "Tails?"

The fox yelped, tails twisting to take into the sky in a single moment. "S-Sonic!"

"Yo, Tails, what's wrong? Is Angel Island falling or something?" Despite the light hearted tone, The question rung clear enough.

The Island falling would be a disaster any way you looked at it. "N-No, not falling Sonic, but look- it's moving north." Tails pressed a finger against the windowpane, pointing to the slowly vanishing isle.

Sharp green eyes lifted to the island. "That's odd, why would Knuckles want to go north? I think he'd be tired of all the snow."

The hedgehog shrugged, "Eh, whatever. We'll go check it out tomorrow. It's probably nothing."

Sonic linked his hands behind his back, a completely carefree position. Tails frowned after his big brother for a second, before looking back to the Island. It wasn't dipping any, nor was it rising. It kept at the right height… just going north.

"It doesn't make any sense though Sonic!" Tails wailed, following after the hedgehog, "Why would Knuckles want to go north? Winter is only just barely breaking here!"

It was true, the only snow left on the ground were the sorrowful remains of snow animals and igloos that had been built a few weeks before. This didn't seem to bother Sonic, who simply shrugged. "It might just be Knuckles off doing his guardian thingy's. We'll check it out tomorrow."

* * *

It wasn't that easy. It was _never_ that easy. Whenever Sonic wanted something to be easy, the entire universe conspired against him making life more difficult.

The metal beneath his feet hummed softly, and wind whipped at his quills as the plane majestically soared through the sky. Automatically, one sneaker-clad foot began to tap against the metal impatiently. "Tails! Anything new?"

"NO SONIC!" The fox bawled above the rushing wind, eyes scanning the sky ahead. "Nothing on the scanner! But Angel Island can move pretty fast when it wants too! I'm going to go just a little further!"

Sonic groaned, looking back to the front. It had to be a waste of time. There was no way Knuckles was actually going north. It didn't make any sense, and Sonic just wanted to go in some other direction, somewhere _warmer_.

"THERE IT IS! I'M PICKING IT UP ON MY RADAR SONIC! DEAD AHEAD!"

"What?" Sonic collapsed to his knees, leaning over the cockpit, gloved hands clinging to the metal. "You sure about that?"

"Uh-huh!" Tails tapped a complicated looking doo-hickey, blue eyes shimmering with confidence. "I have it right on here."

"Okay then! Let's go see what's bugging Knuckles enough that he'd decide to extend his winter vacation, shall we?" Sonic leapt to his feet, crouching slightly on the metal of the biplane.

He could see it now, a dark smudge on the horizon, too dense to be clouds. A grin split the hedgehog's face. "That spiky anteater had better have a good explanation for this Tails!"

"I'm sure he does! Knuckles tries to take good care of the island!" The plane spiraled higher, almost unnoticed by Sonic. He was busy staring at the floating isle, trying to mentally will it into giving up its secrets.

Personally, Sonic couldn't understand Knuckles love of the island. It was filled with booby traps, ancient ruins that crumbled slowly, and it had absolutely _no_ chilidogs. Not even a grocery store!

What did Knuckles eat up there anyways?

"Hold on tight Sonic! The crosswinds are getting rough!" The plane tilted sideways at Tails words, and Sonic slid one foot out, steadying himself against the wind. "HERE WE GO!"

The plane began a dizzying descent towards the island- Sonic clung for dear life against the buffeting winds. "Whoooaaaa- waargh! Oh commmeeee ooooonnnnn! Taaaaaiiiiilllllsss!"

"Hang on Sonic, this is going to be a rough landing!" The plane bounced, jolted, and Sonic felt his hands disconnect for a single precious second. He scrambled to catch a hold for dear life, emerald eyes squeezing shut.

BOOM!

The low groan of angry metal screaming against frozen ground rumbled through his body, more touch then hearing. The roaring slowed and slowly died, as Tails turned the plane off.

Sonic dizzily considered kissing the ground for one sweet second, before an irrepressible smirk appeared instead as he jumped off. "Good job little bro!"

"Thanks Sonic. I think the landing gear is a little damaged though, but I can fix it. Why don't you go on ahead to Knuckles?"

"Sure thing!" Sonic lifted one foot, balancing perfectly. For a single moment, the world seemed completely on pause, even his breath frozen in the cold air, before BOOM!

It only took a few moments to reach the ancient shrine; Sonic knew the pathway like the back of his hand, _and_ he was using shortcuts for once. _It's too bad Knuckles doesn't come down to greet us anymore, makes it easier for both of us if we don't have to go searching._

Well, it made it easier for Sonic at least. Knuckles always had a kind of sixth sense when it came to people on his island and where they were.

Step, step, bounce, roll, and fake glide, and bam!

The ancient shrine towered above him, it's crumbling, ruined stone staring at him. Sonic could feel his spines sharpening in response; it was something he would never, ever admit to Knuckles, but as he'd gotten older, more attune to the chaos emeralds, he felt more and more of The Master Emerald's power, seeped into the very land itself.

It was a dangerous power, one that his body instinctively reacted too.

"KNUCKLES! HEY, KNUCKLES!" Sonic shook himself determinedly out of his funk, concentrating on his missing red friend. Knuckles would be at the shrine, he always was.

Quickly he zipped up the stairs and glanced around, foot tapping impatiently. "Okay Knucklehead, you're taking this whole being a mysterious lone to ridiculous levels!"

Silence.

_I hate silence. Where is he?_

Emerald eyes scanned the shrine. There was a thin layer of ice coating the shrine, and the Master Emerald was covered in it own sheet of crystalline ice, completely incasing the gem. Sonic cautiously approached; "Wow Knuckles, I can't believe you'd let the Emerald get this bad."

The echidna did take good care of the emerald. Kind of obsessively actually, but he was getting better about it, more willing to relax a little. "KNUCKLES!" Sonic circled around the Emerald twice, just because he could. There was still no response.

"Huh, that's odd, is he with Tails?" Sonic glanced back to where Tails was probably working on the Tornado.

With a shrug, he looked up at the mountains. There was a cave that overlooked the Master Emerald, where Knuckles liked to sleep if it had been peaceful enough lately. Normally he just stored food up there in preparation for the winter.

Still, it would only take about two seconds to climb up there and check it out for himself.

A blue blur made its way to the cave in the time it took to think the thought.

"Yo! Knux! You up here?" Sonic tapped his foot at the entrance of the cave, impatiently waiting for his eyes to adjust to the darkness. He could see the few coals of a dying fire on the ground, and what looked like a giant wrapped bundle placed next to the fire.

"Knuckles? Okay, now this is totally not on!" Sonic threw his hands up in exasperation, "It's too cold on this island to go chasing you everywhere!"

He crouched down to poke at the cloth bundle. "You had better be in here and- oh."

Sonic's voice trailed off as a familiar red spine poked out of the bundle. "Really Knucklehead, you fell asleep on the job? Oh, you bet I'm not going to let you live that one down!"

Ready to back up at any second for when his sleeping companion exploded into violence, Sonic poked his companion in the cheek.

Not even a twitch.

"Knuckles?"

He crouched down next to the echidna, pulling the blanket further back. The red furred guardian was curled up on one side, as if trying to protect himself. A slight feeling of unease began to creep in.

"Hey, Knuckles?" The hedgehog jiggled Knuckles shoulder, still ready to jump back.

The echidna didn't even so much as twitch.

Sonic hesitated for a moment, before stripping off one glove. Knuckles could yell at him about inappropriate touches later: after he made sure his friend was still alive. Carefully he placed one bare paw against the neck, shivering slightly as it became clear just how _cold_ Knuckles was.

He felt like ice.

_Pulse Sonic, he's gotta have a pulse._

The hedgehog slumped in relief as he felt it weakly, the soft, unsteady pulse that reassured him Knuckles was still alive. "Okay, one frozen echidna being transported back to the workshop. We'll call up Chaotix or someone to watch the Emerald."

Quickly he gathered Knuckles, blanket and all, into his arms. "This year we're going to build you a house, with proper central heating, and you will use it during the winter if we have to lock you in it."

There was no answer.

Sonic zipped down the hill side, at a fraction of his normal speed, but still going fast, aware of the bundle in his arms.

Knuckles was light for a creature seemingly carved out of muscle- Sonic doubted that there had ever been an inch of baby fat on the echidna, and now that they were all growing up, whatever fat there couldn't been was gone completely now.

Sonic dodged a rock, and jumped across a pit; Knuckles body blocked his landing, and he stumbled for a split second. Quickly his eyes glanced at the unconscious echidna- Knuckles didn't seem to be registering anything at the moment.

Still- Sonic shifted his aching arms and took off at a steady pace once more.

The Tornado came into view, Tails still working on the landing gear, a smudge of grease along his cheek. Normally Sonic would've laughed and wiped it off while teasing him, but now wasn't exactly the time. "Tails! Can you get the Tornado working?"

"Yeah, sure, it'll be rough landing her but- is that Knuckles?"

The fox kit dropped his wrench, hurrying towards Sonic, cautiously lifting the blanket corner. "Oh dear, that doesn't look very good. We should get back now Sonic. Put him in the second seat, we'll strap him in."

Tails hastily gathered up his stuff, as Sonic leapt up to the second seat, and lowered the fiery red echidna into it. "Do I need to strap him in Tails?"

"No, it should be fine, I'll do my best to go smoothly, and I think he should probably be covered as much as possible." Tails chewed on his bottom lip worriedly; Knuckles had the greatest medical knowledge out of the three, gleaned from years taking care of himself. Tails relied on his machines; Sonic relied at on his fast immune system to beat down everything.

"Ready Sonic? We'll take off now, while the wind has died down!"

Sonic grinned at Tails as he swung himself to the top of the plane. Tails settled down, flicking on the plane, running through the checks as quickly as possible. Sonic felt his foot tapping impatiently and stilled it- this wasn't Tails fault.

* * *

"Yeah, thanks Chaotix, we owe you for that! Yeah, the Island was headed north for some reason- there should be plenty of firewood in Knuckles cave, just help yourself. No, he still hasn't built a mansion. Yeah, well, trust me, I plan on making certain that he does build one as soon as he defrosts."

Sonic hid his face in the palm of his hand as a high-pitched voice chattered on the other end, grunting every so often, "Yeah, anyways, see ya guys later." He slammed the phone down on the receiver and zipped to the spare room.

It was actually Sonic's room that he had graciously given up seeming how it was on the first floor and had the biggest door- perfect for anything Tails might need to wheel in. Sonic didn't use it much anyways, preferring to fall asleep on a branch overlooking a canyon in the middle of nowhere.

"Tails? How's it going?"

The bed groaned beneath the weight of what looked to be every single last blanket in the house. Tails was frantically digging through the closet, tossing out old clothes Sonic had never actually worn left and right. "Sonic! Where's the electric blanket I got you a year ago?"

Sonic frowned slightly, attempting to remember that far back- "Amy broke it."

"I was afraid you were going to say that. Great." Tails rocked back onto his heels. "I could probably make another one, but it'll take a couple of hours."

"These blankets should be enough, right?"

"I don't know." Tails waved some kind of hand held device at Sonic, "I put a heat measure on him to monitor his vitals, but he hasn't been warming up at all. His core temperature is dropping still!"

"Uhh, maybe hibernation?"

"Echidna's don't hibernate I think."

"They might, and Knuckles has just been putting it off until now- maybe he's been using the Master Emerald to keep from falling asleep!"

Together they turned to look at the only echidna they had ever known. "Somehow I get the feeling that isn't it Tails."

"Yeah, somehow I do too."

They sighed simultaneously, drooping slightly. "We gotta get an actual doctor here I think Sonic, but still, there's not much they can do either. Knuckles is one of the last echidna's."

Sonic shrugged, "Eeeh, he's gotta be similar to other creatures. I mean, he's a kind of anteater- right?"

The two of them glanced to the spiky red echidna buried beneath the blankets. "Uhh, not really."

Both of them groaned. "Anyways, I'll keep trying to warm him up. See if you can find a doctor that specializes in rare species, would you Sonic?"

"Question is, how are we gonna afford it?"

"Oh, Knuckles told me where he stashes a few of his rare gems for times like these, so go ahead Sonic." Tails smiled, "I've taken a look at some of the gems and he's probably a millionaire."

The words fell like a weight on Sonic's head. "M-Millionaire?"

"Uh-huh, since he doesn't have to pay for food, housing, utilities, damages to buildings, cable, or the internet." Tails hovered his way back to the unconscious echidna. "Plus he goes treasure hunting every now and then."

"So Knuckles will be paying for everything? Sweet! I'll get the best doctor in here right away!"

A blue blur zipped out of the door, leaving behind only the wind to say he was ever there.

* * *

The large crocodile shivered and sneezed loudly, wiping the palm of one paw across his nose. Beside him, a chameleon muttered crossly about going into hibernation if it got any colder.

A small bee flew around the giant green emerald, humming away happily as he picked away the ice. "I hope Knuckles thanks me for getting off all of this ice!"

"Yeah, yeah Charmy." The two reptiles huddled closer to the small, portable heater. "It's a good thing we brought this, right Espio?"

"We'll have to go back down to the surface soon to get new batteries." Espio pointed out, movements sluggish in the cold air.

"Perfect, why don't you and me go. Charmy, take the phone- if anything bad happens hide and call us." He was obviously eager to be somewhere, anywhere warmer- Espio couldn't find it in himself to complain about it. He was freezing as well.

"Will do Vector!" The bee saluted the crocodile, and went back to tearing off shards of ice from the Master Emerald. He was having lots of fun! The emerald sparkled and shone in the light, really pretty, and it looked prettier without the ice.

* * *

_a/n: Well, well, well! What has happened to our beloved echidna? Find out in our next installment, and don't forget to drop a review if you like.  
_


	2. Chapter 2

The doctor was an old owl that was scatterbrained and seemed rather slow. And yet- every doctor Sonic had talked too had sworn all across the room that the owl was a genius. Tails certainly seemed to recognize him.

"I can't believe you actually got him out of all doctors Sonic! How'd you do it?"

"I told him that my friend who was an echidna needed some medical attention. He practically begged me to bring him here. Even offered to pay me."

"Did you agree?"

Sonic made a noise, but Tails saw the flash of momentary hardness- Sonic hadn't moved from his position by Knuckles bedside since he had brought the doctor here. He was just waiting… and watching.

_There's more then one kind of guardian._

Tails turned to the doctor, his twin tails twitching slightly at the murmured words as the doctor cooed and clucked excitedly. The doctor was taking _way_ too much enjoyment from inspecting Knuckles.

One wing swept across a tan muzzle. In a movement too fast for Tails to register on any more then a subconscious level, Sonic tensed, quills sharpening and hardening. After a moment, they went limp once more. "Hey, doc, what's the verdict?"

"Well have to –cuckwhoo!- take blood samples, but he looks to be relatively fit for someone who suffered malnutrition as a child."

Fox and hedgehog glanced at each other. Tails was twelve years old- he had been with Sonic since he was four. All earlier memories of any time before Sonic were erased from time- he could only just barely remember meeting Knuckles.

Sonic leaned forward, "How long ago was this?"

"About, hmm- nine, ten years ago."

Before the two groups had met then. Sonic flopped dramatically in the chair. "One of these days Red we're going to have a long talk about just what all goes on up on Angel Island. Anyways, doc, I'm guessing he doesn't hibernate?"

"No hibernation, though I do wonder if perhaps he's nocturnal naturally; his eyes seem sensitive to light."

Suddenly Knuckles love for sunglasses made sense.

The owl clucked and chuckled. "A most interesting specimen there indeed!"

Tails could _feel_ Sonic's silent, bristling indignation. The young fox shifted uncomfortably; he didn't exactly like the word either- Doctor Eggman used it far too often, and it brought up bad memories.

"Yeah- but then why is he so cold?" Sonic pressed.

"While core temperatures are abnormally low, he –twhoo- doesn't seem to have anything wrong with him physically. Further tests-"

"No, no need." Sonic began shoving the owl out of the room, smile plastered to his face.

Tails moved closer to the unconscious echidna, busying himself- the doctor had confirmed his worst fears, and now the fox was going to work on the rest himself. Plans began to whirl away in his mind as Sonic vanished, pushing the owl out before him.

"Let's see… if I were too modify the scanner it should keep track of all his vitals without being intrusive, but the power source-"

The fox frowned at his small scanner, fiddling with it slightly. "It's going to take awhile… Does Knuckles have that time?"

He flicked his touch screen, drawing up a graph of Knuckles core temperature.

"Ah!"

"What is it Tails?" Sonic appeared at his elbow, his voice just slightly anxious.

"Knuckles core temperature has stopped dropping!"

The two grinned at each other, relief shinning in their eyes. "Great! This gives me some extra time to figure out what's going on! Sonic could you keep checking in on Knuckles every five minutes to see if his status has changed? I'm going to work on something that will automatically do that."

"Sure thing Tails."

"Wait, his temperature is dropping again- now it's rising, and it's dropping again… What's going on?"

The two of them stared at the graph's data. "It kind of looks like someone is waving a heater up and down Knuckles… Wait a minute- Sonic, who did you say you have watching Angel Island?"

"Team Chaotix- remember them?"

"Yeah, Knuckles usually uses them to watch the island… Wait- aren't they mostly reptiles?"

The two stared at each other for a moment, before Sonic's eyes grew huge.

"Oh crap! They gotta be freezing up there!"

"Sonic! Don't tell me you actually sent them up there! Vector is probably going into hibernation mode right now!"

"Aww, come off it Tails! How was I supposed to remember? I'll just call them, see?"

Sonic dialed the number.

Tails crossed his arms and waited, his tails flicking impatiently. He was a little tempted to begin tapping one foot as the two waited breathlessly for the other team to pick up.

"The phone you are attempting to reach is not available. Please try again."

"SONIC!"

"Alright, alright! I'll go to Angel Island and check it out, okay? You keep an eye on Knuckles!"

Tails nodded, and vanished in the direction of Sonic's room- Sonic sighed as he walked outside and across the field, kicking a rock. "Aww man, the weather has been perfect lately. And here I am running errands all across Mobius."

He groaned dramatically, wondering out loud, "Can life get any worse?"

That's about when a familiar female voice drifted across the open field, "Soonnnniiiiiiccccccc! Oh Sonic! Guess who's here to visit you!"

"Gotta juice and get out of here!"

Sonic made a dash for the airplane, as a pink hedgehog with a hammer over one shoulder marched over the edge of the hill. "Hi Amy, sorry but I gotta go visit Team Chaotix up at Angel Island!"

He waved cheerily at her as he started up the plane. "Wait, Sonic! Let me come with you! I got a present for Knuckles anyways!"

"Talk to Tails in the workshop first Amy!" Sonic yelled back as the plane began to taxi out onto the runway, "I'm afraid Knuckles is at our place right now!"

"Huh?" The pink hedgehog turned towards the workshop and Sonic gleefully took the chance to take off. The plane smoothly rose into the air, and the cocky smile on Sonic's face melted off.

What was going on with Knuckles?

The Echidna wasn't one to even begin to talk about the past unless it was recent. As in – 'Since I met the most annoying people in my life' recent. The only thing he did talk about from Before was the Master Emerald.

"I hate puzzles. Tails had better have this figured out by the time I get back!"

The plane buzzed north.

* * *

Charmy hummed happily as he finished placing the heater on top of the Master Emerald. Espio and Vector had left it behind, and boy were his hands _frozen_! So that was why- "I'm sure this will thaw you out mister gem!"

The emerald sparkled in response. Charmy giggled as he plopped down in front of the heater as well, leaning up against the Master Emerald.

Vector and Espio would probably yell at him for wasting heat but-

BOOM!

The sharp sound of the sound barrier breaking caught Charmy's attention. He hovered above the Master Emerald as a familiar blue shape began hurtling across snow-bound plains leading up to the shrine itself.

Charmy's eyes kept on rising- he couldn't see the entire Island from here, but it all looked so _pretty_. It wasn't like the city where everything got dirty fast. "I can see why Knuckles likes staying out here with you! It's all so pretty! Hi Sonic!"

"Charmy! What happened to Vector and Espio?"

"They went back to the surface to get new batteries for the heater because it was dieing! I just kicked it a few times and it went back to working though- oh, and guess what Sonic I-"

The blue hedgehog didn't seem to be listening.

Charmy pouted angrily as Sonic flipped open a communicator. "Sonic! Any word?"

"Yeah, apparently Vector and Espio went back down to the surface to get some supplies. It's just been Charmy up here with a heater." Sonic carelessly glanced back at the Master Emerald. "Looks like he's been defrosting it."

"I- Sonic, could you try moving the heater up and down on the Master Emerald?"

"Huh, why?"

"Just do it please."

"Okay…" Sonic grabbed the heater, hefting it easily to wave at the Emerald. "What's the point?"

"Sonic- Knuckles is beginning to warm back up." The small foxes voice was tiny, and slightly terrified.

"Wait, what?"

"Knuckles is beginning to warm back up. Sonic, you gotta get the Master Emerald warmer!" Sonic could hear the sound of things crashing in the background; a particularly loud crash made both bee and hedgehog wince.

"Keep at it Sonic! I'll get something that can warm up the Master Emerald in a flash!"

"You do so Tails. I'll work on getting the Master Emerald high and dry."

Sonic snapped off the communicator. "Hey Charmy, want to help me get all of this ice off of the Master Emerald?"

"Nope."

"Why not?" Sonic asked, suddenly drooping, looking at the bee like he was crazy.

Charmy sniffed, and stuck his nose up in the air. "Because it was fun before but now it's a chore. I'm gonna go explore the island."

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. It's dangerous."

"Nuh-uh, Knuckles wouldn't let anything dangerous on the island!"

"It depends on whether or not it's dangerous to him." Sonic clarified, looking at where his fingernails would be if he weren't wearing gloves.

Charmy froze in mid air, and very carefully came back to Sonic. The blue hedgehog grinned. "Come on, we'll pull off all of this ice and then Knuckles will feel better."

The bee nodded, and very carefully didn't say anything when Sonic took to attacking the ice, muttering with Amy-like fervor under his breath, "Gonna kill that stupid echidna when I talk to him next."

* * *

It was kind of cold. A low shiver wracked his body, as he shifted slightly under what felt like a ton. Slowly one ungloved paw curled into a fist, before loosening, violet eyes slated open, centimeter by agonizing centimeter.

Fuzzy surroundings swirled around him, not quite recognizable.

A frown tiredly tugged on his muzzle as he began forcing himself into sitting up, his long dreadlocks weighing him down. Or was it something else?

Giant green irises appeared in his view- he blinked slowly, unable to dredge up any more feeling beyond _cold_. What looked vaguely like a muzzle moved… talking?

"Just so you know…you stupid…Mast…It's not like I…What…ar…com…Yo, Knucklehead!"

"S-Sonic? What-"

He collapsed. Even he had to admit that was what he did. There was no other reason to go from a half upright position to a completely flat one in less then a second. Unless Sonic pushed him… His mind fuzzily latched onto that. "You pushed me."

"What? What are you talking about Knuckles?" At least the voice wasn't weaving in and out of his mind anymore.

He shivered, unable to stop it, instantly regretting it when Sonic stared at him for a long moment. "Still cold?"

"Still? Where-"

"You're in my room currently. Do you know how we found you Knuckles?"

Knuckles stared fuzzily up at Sonic- why was the hedgehogs voice rising like he was upset?

"I found you in your stupid cave, curled up by a dead fire, wrapped up in the blanket we gave you, stone cold. I thought you were _dead_ Knuckles. You were as cold as stone!" The hedgehog was pacing, a dizzying flash of blue, moving faster and faster in his emotions.

Knuckles watched it in curious detachment.

"We brought you down to my place because you know what- your stupid island was floating North _towards_ the cold. We sent the Chaotix to guard, and guess what we found- you didn't start warming up until after we started defrosting the Master Emerald. You've been out for nearly a week Knuckles! Tails was terrified you were going to starve to death!"

Master Emerald… cold… Chaotix… and starvation?

"I've gone longer then a week without eating," He mumbled a protest instead.

Sonic turned to pin him with a hard stare. "You- I- We'll talk about that _later_. After you apologize to Tails."

"For what?"

"Making him worry! Also, get your stupid island further south!"

"Can't. Too far away." Knuckles mumbled back crossly. "Why's it so cold?"

"WERE YOU NOT LISTENING TO A THING I SAID?"

Well, wasn't this a turn around? Normally it was Knuckles yelling with Sonic simply chilling away. Knuckles… didn't much like this turn around. He had the feeling he was missing something.

Dragging the thickest blanket with him, he forced himself into an upright position. "Where is Tails Sonic?"

"He's up on your island trying to defrost your gem while a blizzard is raging. You sure you can't persuade your island to come south from here?" Well, that explained why Sonic was so antsy.

Violet eyes slid close, and Knuckles head tilted to the left slightly, towards the north. He could feel it, the Master Emerald pulsing, and the bitter cold- unconsciously he curled up slightly, while attempting to pour energy from out of the crystal into the island itself.

Warm, sunny beaches, the tropical waters lapping against the shore came to mind, the suns rays warming him, making it easy to relax and-

Angel Island was moving.

That shouldn't be possible. He had never, _ever_ been able to do that before; he always had to be on Angel Island. "It's… It's headed south now Sonic."

"Good!" Sonic collapsed onto a nearby seat. For a long moment, silence reigned supreme, Knuckles sluggish mind attempting to make sense of the whole thing.

"Sonic- have you noticed anything different with the Master Emerald?"

"Wha- yeah, sure. Every time I go up there my spines begin to automatically stiffen."

Well… That wasn't what he wanted to hear.

* * *

_a/n: Well, second chapter! Slowly a piece of the puzzle makes itself clear! All explanations shall be made in the third and final chapter. Tune in next week to the conclusion to the story._


	3. Chapter 3

Knuckles frowned slightly as he considered Sonics' words about sensing the power within the Master Emerald. "That should be just because you're becoming more in tune with the Chaos Energy."

It wasn't a good sign- not by a long shot. Sonic was already a powerful being, and he was only getting stronger. The more attune he was to chaos energy… the more headaches for Knuckles as the blue hedgehog figured out just how to tap into the Master Emerald's power. It was far more dangerous to tap into the Master Emerald then it was a few measly chaos emeralds.

Sharp, sapphire eyes slid towards the crimson figure in his bed. "I'm plenty attune!"

"There's a difference between sensing it and using it. You're sensing the power now instead of just channeling it. And it looks like my own range has gotten greater."

"Yeah, we still gotta talk about that. What's up with you and the Master Emerald turning into a popsicle?"

Knuckles frown grew even more pronounced, as he uneasily regarded his mental link to the Master Emerald. "I think… Maybe the bond has changed somehow." _Or maybe because I've been around so much chaos energy these past few years, my link with the Master Emerald has gotten stronger._

"Yeah, but that doesn't explain why!"

"I'm not certain either Sonic." Violet eyes slid close, as Knuckles wearily leaned back in the bed. It was far too soft for his tastes- he really only slept on stone or dirt floors. But still, it was nice. "Why don't you ask Tails?"

He must have fallen asleep.

There was no other possible explanation for why when he closed his eyes it was just Sonic, and when he opened his eyes Tails was crowded in behind him as well. At least it was beginning to feel warm.

"Tails?"

"Hi Knuckles! I think I've figured it out. Sonic told me about what you said about all of the energy and growing sharper to it. And I've been puzzling it over myself!"

Knuckles shoved himself into a better sitting position. His legs weren't quite listening to his commands to stand up, so he was just going to lay here and get the information this way.

Tails was babbling away in techno babble- Sonic and Knuckles both had absolutely no clue as to what he could be talking about. "Tails- a little slower would you?" Knuckles grunted out the words, resting his eyes behind the palm of his hand.

"I _said_ that I think its that Knuckles has always had a kind of psychic connection with the Master Emerald- even when it's shattered you know where the shards are. So, really, it should go both ways. I'm guessing before the connection was too small to make it a real transfer, but we've all been growing up and older; the connection has to be getting stronger!"

Tails eyes were practically sparkling now, as his waving hands grew faster and faster in his excitement. "In fact, Angel Island began moving south even though Knuckles wasn't directly on the Island itself. Sonic said you did something and at about the same time, I felt the Island shift, and the Emerald glowed really brightly!"

Glowed? "That isn't a good sign Tails. Every time it glows it's giving some kind of message. Did you see anything in there?"

"Yeah, the image of a warm, sunny beach." Tails nodded thoughtfully. "It didn't seem like a bad glow- just a glow and the island moved south."

"An island huh?" Knuckles fell silent, musing it over in his own mind. A white glove came out to knock him gently against the head.

"Share it with the rest of us Knux. That was what you were thinking of, wasn't it? When you were trying to make the Island go south."

"Yeah. They're beaches that the I visited on one of your ill-fated attempts to go on vacation."

"Oh, right. I knew it looked familiar." Tails made a loose fist, and connected it in the open palm of his other paw. "You know, just remembering all of our lost opportunities for vacations and having fun to Eggman suddenly wear me down."

"The World Grand Prix." Knuckles mumbled.

"All of those corporations that are actually Eggman's…"

"The Olympic games…"

"My birthday party." Sonic groaned at the memory.

All three sighed in complete and total understanding. Beating Eggman was a job that didn't pay. Not very well at least… Sonic really had to argue the government into giving him a paycheck.

"Anyways, so your island is going south, and I left the heater on for the moment. Have you been feeling any warmer Knuckles?"

"Not really." The blankets were a warm comfort, and he could admit he could see why so many creatures liked to live indoors when the outdoors was so much better. "But that doesn't matter."

"Yes it does!" Two voices chimed in at once, and Knuckles flinched back as a flash of blue and dusty yellow crowded into his space, eyes practically on fire. "Do you have any idea how many people came by while you were unconscious Knuckles! Even Rouge came by."

Wait, Rouge?

"That bat didn't-"

"She said it was no fun to steal the emerald without you guarding it, so she didn't take it. She even tried giving you a kiss to see if you'd warm up before leaving and muttering about ungrateful men." Sonic grinned broadly, enjoying Knuckles discomfort.

The flustered echidna muttered under his breath, looking away.

A loud beep startled all three, and Tails scrambled desperately for a second for something in the bag at his feet. "Yes, what is it Amy?"

"Tails, there's nothing to do up on this island! And Charmy is driving me insane! Where's Sonic?"

"Amy is on my island?" Knuckles asked weakly, horror filling him- the Island was rather delicate for a bunch of rocks floating up in the air. Amy was going to destroy it!

"Knuckles? You're awake! Oh thank goodness! Listen, I left a bunch of magazines behind so you better take a look through them! You too Sonic, I marked some especially cute houses for when we get married!"

Amy giggled, while Sonic looked positively terrified.

"Tails- just how many people know I've been asleep for the past few days?"

"A week and a half in total actually Knuckles, and it would be Team Chaotix, Rouge, Shadow, Amy, Cream and Cheese-"

"So many?"

"Well, we were pretty worried. You wouldn't wake up Knuckles. You weren't responding to anything." Tails looked down at the floor, twin tails curling around his body in an attempt to hide himself.

Knuckles snorted, "As if I'm going to die."

"Huh-"

"I'm not going to die. I refuse." Amethyst eyes rose to meet emerald eyes. "I will not." It was a promise.

The blue hedgehog grinned, eyes softening for a split second. "That's good to hear, I'd hate to have to figure out a way to sever the link between you two."

"Don't you dare Sonic." Knuckles eyes hardened. Yeah, that would be another problem if the blue hedgehog was actually growing more attune with the emeralds power. "I'd rather die before that happened."

"Yeah, well, I'm not that willing." Sonic carelessly tossed out, eyes meeting and clashing. Tails cowered between the two of them.

"I-I don't think that it's really all that necessary Sonic." Tails stammered quickly, azure eyes darting between the two fighters. "Because Knuckles should be able to shut off the bond himself- we've seen him control the power before."

Neither even so much as glanced at him.

"Knuckles, I know you're all into this mysterious power and you having to guard it, but I refuse to let you die because of it."

"That isn't your choice."

"Oh, what, I suppose I let you sleep in my bed, in my house for the past two weeks just because I thought it would be fun!"

"You didn't-"

"Don't you dare say I didn't have too. I know you're not into this whole being sociable thing, but its what friends do. And we are friends."

Knuckles teeth ground together. "That is not the point! I'm talking about the Master Emerald-"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I am talking about you Knuckles." Sonic wasn't a serious sort of person- he liked being serious with his fists long before he was serious in his tone. But he _was_ serious right now.

Tails desperately looked between the two fighting members of Team Sonic. "S-Sonic, K-Knuckles…"

Knuckles clenched and trembling fist was slowly forced down, and the moment passed.

They hadn't come to any conclusion- it was clear Knuckles and Sonic both were completely focused on their own ways, but at the very least they wouldn't get into a down and out bare fisted fight right here and now.

"Erm, Knuckles, I have the magazines here if you want to look through them."

The echidna was teetering on the brink of plain just wrecking everything, but he confined himself to a glare. "Magazine for _what_?"

"Your new house we're going to build of course." Sonic grinned, letting the conversation flow away. It was placed to the side for now, but not forgotten.

"I already scouted out several great locations! There's a place half-way up the mountain that has a river running through it that I can create a hydroelectric generator to help power the house. And then if you'd rather stay in the jungle, or even at the beach, you can-"

"Not possible." The guardians voice was completely flat as he glanced around. He could see his gloves lying next to the bed on the small chest thingy he had never bothered to learn the name of. "Buildings don't last on Angel Island. They get blown away too easily."

"Oh, it's okay Knuckles, I compiled all of the data from storms weathered before on Angel Island, and I think I've determined what material we could use instead of just plain metal. It'll take awhile to gather, but it should be fine."

Tails smiled proudly, Knuckles pulled on his gloves, eyes sweeping the room for his shoes. "I don't think-"

"Knuckles, the building will be built. You just gotta choose how it looks like. Otherwise we're going to choose."

Sonic jabbed a thumb out towards the east, "I know this really cool 747 jet that is currently abandoned. We could just bring it up to your island, crash it, and then build your house from the inside."

Violet and azure eyes met each other, as both Knuckles and Tails considered the idea.

"That… actually doesn't sound half bad." Knuckles admitted.

"I bet that I can get it flying long enough to get to Angel Island no problem. After that it should be easy to hollow out part of the mountainside to make enough room for everything."

"Wait, what everything?"

"Kitchen, media room, workshop, guest bedrooms- we need at least five of those. One for Sonic, Amy, the Chaotix whenever they watch the Master Emerald for you, and a couple extra just in case."

"Who said that you lot were welcome to visit whenever you wanted?"

"Well, you don't really move Angel Island a lot anymore, and it's easier for all of us to come vacation on your island because Eggman is going to attack anyways, so we don't have to track you down."

"Yes it would be easier, but- hey! Don't run off on me!"

"C'mon Tails we gotta get started before he's strong enough to stop us." Sonic grinned as he hooked an arm around Tails, winking at his younger brother.

"Sure thing Sonic!"

Knuckles _would_ have gone after them if he could convince his legs into working. The fact that they weren't was just a slight disappointment. He groaned, letting his head hit against the wall, stubbornly keeping his eyes from sweeping the room.

He wasn't one to pry, besides…

Knuckles eyes slid close as he felt for the Master Emerald. The Island floated south serenely. _I'll be back home soon. I promise._

For now, he would spend some time with his friends.

Slowly he forced himself out of bed, ignoring his wobbling legs and went to go chase down Sonic and Tails- Eggman had to be around here somewhere, just waiting to strike. Knuckles fully intended to be there at their sides when he did.

* * *

_Omake:_

Deep in the forest, a chameleon stirred. Groaning, he slowly sat up, glancing around at the rich, deep forest with the sun shining brightly above- "Vector! Wake up!"

"Jus' five more minutes ma…" The crocodile rolled over, curling up beneath a large leaf.

"Vector- we have to find Charmy. We went into hibernation. Just how long-"

"Wait, WHAAAAATTTTT?" The crocodile bolted to his feet. "My walkman is ruined! Okay, that's it, we're taking Charmy and blowing this joint! Come on."

"That may be a problem- where are we?"

The two glanced around- there was what looked like a crashed 747 up on the mountainside, and the forest was rather unfamiliar… "We are on Angel Island, right?"

"I don't think so. Knuckles would never allow such a thing to happen on his Island."

"Then, we'll go north!"

"Very well then."

Vector struck a heroic pose. "Don't worry Charmy, we'll come and get you!"

_Meanwhile:_ Charmy and Cream giggled as Cheese tottered around, Vanilla watching them both in slight worry. "Oh dear, I do hope mister Vector is okay…"

* * *

_a/n: So, what do you think; Good, bad? Leave a review and let me know please._


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